Which is better, Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB or WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB? July 2026 side-by-side with prices, specs, and verdict.
Cross-generation comparisons reveal whether you're paying for peak speed or sustained value. Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB vs WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB at 2 TB is a perfect lens for that question.
Hardware-wise, the Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB runs on the dual-mode Samsung Piccolo silicon that uniquely runs PCIe 5.0 x2 or PCIe 4.0 x4. The WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB pairs an A101 controller that replaced the older WD designs in the SN7100 generation.
WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB's $145.00/TB pricing edges out Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB's $184.50/TB by about 21%. Not transformative, but a real difference at 2-4 TB capacities where it adds up.
For PS5 expansion, both are PCIe Gen 4 M.2 2280 drives that meet Sony's minimum spec (7,250 MB/s read). The console can't take advantage of speeds beyond that, so save money by choosing the WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB. Generational difference matters mainly for sequential-heavy workloads. The Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB's 7,250 MB/s read beats WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB's 7,250 on paper, though in practice both feel identical loading games. For content creators routinely rendering 4K or 8K video, the WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB's 6,900 MB/s sustained write is the deciding factor — multi-GB project files land noticeably faster than on the alternative. Note for handheld gamers: M.2 2280 is the desktop/laptop standard. Steam Deck and the ROG Ally line need 2230 drives — neither Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB nor WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB fits without modification.
Market context: the Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB ranks #4 of 11 Gen 5 2 TB drives we track by $/TB, while the WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB ranks #3 of 11 Gen 4 2 TB drives. That puts at least one of them near the top of the value table — a reasonable head-to-head to be choosing from.
As of July 27, 2026, these tracked drives undercut both the Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB and WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB on $/TB:
Among Samsung's lineup, the 990 EVO Plus is the only consumer drive that physically supports dual-generation PCIe — same hardware, different bus speed depending on platform.
Lean toward the WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB when the lower retail price ($290 vs $369), and better $/TB economics ($145.00/TB) top your priority list.